06_Amendment 02 Attachment III Questions and Answers 05112023.pdf

31310023K0002 ATTACHMENT III

Amendment 02

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1) Question: Is faculty time buy-out an allowable cost?

Answer: Faculty time buy-out is not an allowable cost under this program.

2) We will be submitting an application to opportunity # 31310023K0002. We plan to include academic year effort along with the associated fringe benefits and indirect costs as a cost share contribution. The statement below is from page 5 of the funding announcement.

*Academic year faculty release time is not a valid “in kind” cost share/matching contribution.

Our university would consider the AY effort as dedicated effort to the project and not “release time”.

Question: Does the statement above mean that AY effort cannot be used as cost share, or is there a different interpretation?

Answer: Academic year faculty effort cannot be use as cost share under this program.

3) Question: Regarding the budget, it mentioned in the NOFO that: "Graduate students should not be listed as principal investigators, co-principal investigators, or senior personnel. Further, their compensation should not be listed under Personnel and should be listed separately under Other Expenses”.

However, in the sample budget narrative provided graduate students are included under personnel.

Please confirm in what section of the budget should graduate students’ compensation and tuition fees should be included.

Answer: Graduate students’ compensation should be listed in accordance with institution’s personnel policy. Tuition fees should be included under Other Expenses.

Refer to revised language provided in amendment no. 00002.

4) Question: We understand a PI can submit only one proposal, but can a PI be a Co-PI in a different proposal?

Answer: No. As stated in the NOFO under Part I Overview Information, page 2 of the NOFO a PI may not be a Co-PI on another application in response to this announcement.

Question: A similar one, is it possible to be a Co-PI in two different proposals?

Answer: No. As stated in the NOFO under Part I Overview Information, page 2 of the NOFO an individual can only be proposed as a Co-PI within one (1) application in response to this announcement.

31310023K0002 ATTACHMENT III

Amendment 02

5) Question: The announcement states that eligible institutions include public/state controlled institutions of higher education. The “Institution” is the non-profit environmental institution part of the “Named” System of Higher Education. We employ graduate students although we don’t grant degrees which are earned at our sister institutions. Are we eligible to apply for this opportunity?

Answer: In accordance with Part II, Section III.1 Eligible Institutions, Institutional representatives may submit an application(s) if the institution is a regionally accredited U.S. public or private institution of higher education, as defined in Section 1001 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1001).

20 U.S.C. § 1001.(a)(3), states: “provides an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, or awards a degree that is acceptable for admission to a graduate or professional degree program, subject to review and approval by the Secretary;”

Accordingly, any institution that does not comply with the above is determined ineligible under this program.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2012-title20/html/USCODE-2012-title20-chap28-subchapI.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2012-title20/html/USCODE-2012-title20-chap28-subchapI.htm